Difference between pages "Former Demilitarized Zone" and "Ambassador Class"

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{{icons|card}}
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{{Specifications
{{Region
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| image = [[Image:Ambassadorclass.png|275px]]
| name = Former Demilitarized Zone
+
| name = ''Ambassador''
| image = [[File:Former Demilitarized Zone.png|375px]]
+
| affiliation = Starfleet Reserve
| major powers = [[United Federation of Planets]], [[Cardassian Union]]
+
| role = Heavy Cruiser
| minor powers =  
+
| dateEntered = 2330
| important places = Hakton VII
+
| expectedLife = 80 Years
}}
+
| expectedRefit = 8 Years
The former Demilitarized Zone (or DMZ) between the [[Cardassian Union]] and the [[United Federation of Planets]] is a region that was once the border between the two powers. As a colloquialism it includes other worlds traded between them, though all of these systems are now under Federation control. Due to their contested history, the region has a large number of Cardassian citizens in residence, sometimes in integrated settlements, but including several fully Cardassian colonies. Authority over the region formally falls to Starfleet, though recent upheaval such as the resurgence of the True Way has led to a pact of cooperation with the Cardassian Union to restore stability.
+
| timeResupply = 4 Years
 +
| crewComplement = 750
 +
| emergencyCap = 3200
 +
| length = 526 meters
 +
| width = 320 meters
 +
| height = 125 meters
 +
| decks = 31
 +
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
 +
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 6.2
 +
| maxSpeed = Warp 8.9
 +
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.4 (12 hours)
 +
| energyWeapons =*10x Type-X Phaser Arrays
 +
| torpLaunchers =*1 forward
 +
*1 aft
 +
| torpPayload =*200 Photon Torpedoes
 +
| shields =Multi-Layered Shielding System
 +
| shuttleBays =2
 +
| shuttles =15
 +
| runabouts =2
 +
}}''Ambassador''-class heavy cruisers are venerable workhorses for Starfleet. Originally designated as explorers, they have since been pulled back from most frontline operations and serve capably as diplomatic, scientific, and tactical platforms for duties within Federation space. For their time, they were revolutionary, and they still remain quite powerful for their size.
  
=History=
+
=== Science and Exploration ===
The establishment of the Federation-Cardassian Treaty in 2370 included the creation of the Demilitarized Zone and the redrawing of the borders of both powers. As a result, some colonies of both governments fell within the DMZ, while others were passed between the two governments, settlers forced to relocate. This move was hugely unpopular, leading to some Cardassian colonists defending themselves and the birth of the Federation extremist faction the Maquis.
+
The ''Ambassador''-class starship was intended to be as revolutionary to the exploration of space as the Constitution was in her time; an order of magnitude more capable than the ''Excelsior''-class ships serving as Starfleet’s premiere exploratory vessels in the 2330s. Indeed, this class was the first to be designated as an explorer rather than as a cruiser, given that she was designed to undertake true five-year unsupported missions outside of Federation space.
  
For three years, the region was the home of small-scale warfare as both Cardassian and Federation colonists waged conflict against each other and their governments. This ended in 2373, where the Cardassian Union’s alliance with the [[Dominion]] resulted in the Jem’hadar seizing the DMZ and wiping out the Maquis.
+
By the early 2370s, she had been reclassified as a heavy cruiser but retained impressive scientific and exploratory capabilities that have continued to make her a desirable command. The class contained the most powerful spaceborne sensor arrays of their time, and her eighteen modular sensor pallets continue to be able to use the latest scientific scanner equipment. Twenty-eight large dedicated laboratory facilities are included in the ship, along with facilities to convert three of the cargo bays to hold extra scientific equipment if necessary. This gave the ''Ambassador'' an estimated 325% increase in research capabilities over an Excelsior, and she remains significantly more capable than light cruisers and smaller, more modern-exploratory vessels.
  
With the Treaty of Bajor, all worlds of the DMZ and any colonies the Federation had once ceded to the Union were restored to Federation control. Many Federation citizens retained or returned to their former homes. However, a large number of Cardassian settlements had been established over the years, and the Federation was mindful of past mistakes in forcibly relocating populations.
+
With more and more of these vessels having been pulled off of front-line duties in the 2380s and later, some of them have been retrofitted with even more impressive scientific suites in place of crew quarters or engineering support areas, to allow them to perform in-depth surveys of planetary systems with much greater speed than purpose-built surveyors, which tend to be a fraction of the size of an ''Ambassador''.
  
It was agreed that these Cardassian colonists and their family would have the right to remain in these settlements, citizens of the Union but residents in Federation territory. The border with Cardassia overseen by Starfleet was generous in permitting Cardassian trade and investment to cross into the old DMZ, though very little further.
+
=== Diplomacy ===
 +
As her name would suggest, an ''Ambassador''-class starship has long been one of the most capable diplomatic platforms in Starfleet and she is still the ship of choice for most diplomatic missions in and near Federation space when a ''Galaxy'' or ''Odyssey''-class ship is not available. She was one of the first classes to include extensive support for variable atmosphere and gravity accommodations to assist in diplomatic dealings with lifeforms who are not from M-class environments. A full 50% of her high-quality guest quarters and all of her elaborate conference facilities were originally able of being quickly configured for K, L, O, or P-class environments, and this capability was extended in the 2370s to include high-temperature environments. Most vessels of this type have also been retrofitted with holographic projectors either in the whole ship or in diplomatic areas to allow for quick reconfiguration of facilities for different negotiations.
  
The Attack on Mars and the subsequent Federation focus on internal affairs scaled back Starfleet presence in the region. This led to the former DMZ becoming largely self-regulating, systems and worlds looking after their own interests and security. This suited many of the populace, who were mindful of past betrayals by their and the neighbouring government, and preferred to go it alone.
+
An ''Ambassador''-class ship is capable of hosting multi-party talks in great comfort, while also being a suitably-powerful ship to not need an escort when going into hostile areas.
  
In early 2399, an attack on a Starfleet ship at Hakton VII and later a Cardassian survey station on the border ended this rugged peace. A group of Cardassian anti-Federation extremists called the True Way claimed responsibility, making it clear they wished to restore Cardassian territory to Cardassia and that they saw both the Federation and the Detapa Council as their enemies.
+
=== Engineering ===
 +
''Ambassador''-class ships were among the fastest vessels of their time, retaining speed records that weren’t broken until the ''Galaxy''-class was launched in the late 2350s. These vessels were the first to use the second generation of the semi-toroid warp coils that became standard after the launch of the ''Excelsior''-class three decades earlier. Their large warp cores provided ample power for her scientific and tactical systems as well, and they boast large engineering crews to keep everything operating effectively.
  
Faced with this new challenge, Starfleet and the Detapa Council swiftly drew up an agreement to restore stability to the region. As such, both Federation and Cardassian forces, negotiators, and support services have entered the old DMZ in recent weeks to attempt to help locals and stop the True Way.
+
An ''Ambassador''-class ship also maintains relatively large cargo bays and auxiliary craft facilities, alongside industrial replicators and other systems that make her a very effective vessel for humanitarian missions or construction projects. Given her comfortable accommodations and facilities, she is also effective as a tender for frigates and escorts.
  
=The DMZ Today=
+
=== Tactical ===
==The Federation==
+
The Type-IX phaser array was developed for use aboard the ''Ambassador''-class. This measure greatly increased the ability of the ''Ambassador'' Class to fire sustained bursts, and greatly reduced the recharge and cool down times. The use of an independent power system for every group of ten emitter segments in the array triples the survivability of the array compared to a ball turret, while there are also benefits to the reaction time, greater control of thermal effects, field halos and target impact. Overall the phaser arrays of the ''Ambassador'' are over 50% more effective than the Type-VIII ball turrets found aboard -class ships. Torpedo coverage is fired by a single burst-fire torpedo tube forward and another aft. These ships generally do not carry quantum torpedoes, but they are able to use them. ''Ambassador''-class ships were updated with Type-X phaser arrays in the 2370s for the Dominion War.
Many Federation citizens who live in the DMZ remember that they or their neighbours were forced to abandon their homes thirty years ago, and they have largely not forgiven the Federation and Starfleet. This has not been a problem for recent years, with limited government presence and no inciting events. However, the threat of the True Way has returned Starfleet to the region.
 
  
Many Federation colonies are fiercely self-sufficient and disinclined to help or receive help from Starfleet. While they may or may not tolerate their Cardassian neighbours on both sides of the border, and are potential targets of the True Way’s raids for resources, they often prefer to resolve these situations themselves.
+
An ''Ambassador''-class ship is still a force to be reckoned with, even seventy years after their initial launch. They had a much higher survivability rate during the Dominion War than the Excelsior-class did, and continue to be used for routine patrols of the core sector. They do lag behind newer ships in maneuverability and overall power, but most pirates and raiders would think twice about engaging one without support.
  
The DMZ has become a point of significant interest Federation industry; its resources were largely untapped until twenty years ago, and many companies have moved into the region and now find their businesses threatened by the True Way.
+
=== Shipboard Life ===
 +
As with many designs that were once launched as flagships, the ''Ambassador''-class is now a reliable workhorse for the Federation. Crews aboard these ships tend to enjoy their assignment, as the class has been retrofitted with most of the amenities you would find aboard newer explorers, such as holodecks, arboretums, and lounges, as well as comfortable crew quarters. Captains assigned to these vessels tend to be relatively junior, as more experienced captains are generally given assignments further away from Federation space, but a number of them are commanded by diplomatic or scientific veterans.
  
==Cardassian Residents==
+
More and more of these vessels are being retired, but they are very popular with their crews, who often consider it an honor to keep these venerable ships going, which leads to a mix of officers and crew who have refused transfers to newer ships and very junior staff who were posted to them as a first assignment. Like the ''Galaxy''-class, they can accommodate civilian scientists.
The Federation was loath to forcibly remove anyone from the former DMZ after the Treaty of Bajor. Any Cardassian who could claim residency of the region was allowed to stay or return, and their families also allowed to settle. This required some restrictions after the first few years, when it became apparent that some Cardassians were using the DMZ as an immigration loophole to escape the resource-starved Union for Federation territory, where they would be better regarded. Still, these residents have been permitted to travel to and from the Union and have largely made comfortable and settled lives for themselves these past thirty years.
 
  
These residents are more volatile in their dealings with Starfleet; some welcome their support with open arms, while others resent their homes being under Federation rule. The majority seek to be left alone as much as the Federation citizens do.
+
== Class History ==
 +
Initially envisioned as early as 2300, the ''Ambassador''-class was designed as not only the next greatest exploratory ship for Starfleet but also as the first of an entirely new classification of starship: explorer, as opposed to a mere heavy cruiser. Development was done at a relatively slow pace, given that the Federation was in a sustained period of peace and the ''Excelsior''-class was performing above expectations. Starfleet wanted a design that would introduce as many revolutionary systems as her predecessor had, which led to a long prototyping period with other less-capable ships, such as the ''Renaissance''-class light cruiser and the ''Freedom-''class frigate. These technologies included the next generation in warp coils, phasers, shields, and scientific systems, as well as diplomatic facilities that would make the ''Ambassador'' a powerful symbol of the Federation’s values.
  
Some settlements are integrated between Cardassians and Federation citizens; some worlds share homogenous settlements, but the majority of Cardassian colonies are Cardassian-exclusive. These colonies come in all shapes and sizes, from people getting on with their lives to Cardassians resenting having to live under Federation rule. There is also a growing population of Cardassians who wish for democratic and liberal reform of the Union, which they are able to plan and campaign for safely from within Federation territory.
+
Construction on ''Ambassador'', ''Surak'' (renamed ''Enterprise'' before launch, while the name ''Surak'' was transferred to a second-run vessel of the same class), and ''Zheng He'' began in 2323 at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards. ''Ambassador'' was launched in 2329, followed by her sister ships in 2332 and 2333, respectively. Despite retaining a crew size of 750, they required nearly twice the time and twice the resources of an ''Excelsior''-class starship, while only giving approximately a 50% improvement in overall capabilities. Though they were markedly better at scientific and diplomatic missions, they were too expensive to replace the Excelsior in her role as a capable multi-mission platform, and both classes continued to be produced alongside one another until ''Excelsior'' and ''Ambassador'' were replaced by the ''Nebula''-class in 2355 and the ''Galaxy''-class in 2358, respectively.
  
The True Way treats these Cardassians as allies or traitors, with nothing in between. They expect Cardassians to provide them with resources or even membership, or they are complicit in the abandonment of Cardassian worlds to the Federation.
+
During her production run, the ''Ambassador''-class was generally built at a rate of two units per year, with 75 of the class built in total. This made them rare compared to the ''Excelsior''-class which was built in the hundreds and they were generally reserved for high-status assignments. They proved popular in service to both their crews and to the admiralty, though they were eclipsed by the Galaxy-class which was substantially more powerful and useful in every respect.  
  
==Starfleet==
+
They were generally a rare sight within the Federation for the first thirty years of their lifespans, as they were sent on long-range missions or reserved to put out diplomatic brushfires, but they gradually became more and more common within the core as they were supplanted. One was lost at the Battle of Wolf 359, and a handful were destroyed during the Dominion War, but they proved to be substantially tougher than the Excelsior-class thanks to their more powerful shields, something that was simply less important to the Federation during their initial production run.
Starfleet largely withdrew from the region after the Attack on Mars. Now it has to return to stop the True Way and restore stability. This is largely a mission of diplomacy, restoring peace and confidence in Starfleet among the locals who distrust the Federation, and cooperating with Cardassian ships and missions crossing the border to render aid.
 
  
Starfleet Command is mindful that if the Cardassian residents are not looked after they may become sympathetic to the True Way. Similarly, if the True Way become a problem and the Federation citizens feel threatened, they may take matters into their own hands - and so their confidence in Starfleet to protect their interests must be restored and maintained.
+
Currently, Ambassador-class ships have been reclassified as heavy cruisers and see service in most areas of the Federation, remaining a rare but welcome sight. They have received regular refits to keep them up to modern standards. A few of them have received more specialized refits either for scientific, engineering, or diplomatic duties, though most of them remain capable multi-mission vessels. Starfleet expects them to be in service until at least 2425.
  
==The Cardassian Union==
+
== In Play ==
Formally, the Union has no authority over the former DMZ. It has also had limited control over its own border with the Federation, which is largely under Starfleet regulation. While a blow to Cardassian pride, this was a reprieve for Cardassian resources. But nevertheless, the Union along the border have found themselves targets of the True Way.
 
  
The Detapa Council has agreed to help the Federation hunt down the True Way and aid in stabilising the region. They have dispatched ships, diplomats, and support services to help Cardassian citizens and assist in resolving disputes. Ostensibly this is to meet their responsibility to their own citizens and to aid in hunting down the True Way, who clearly operate somewhat in Union territory. However, the Detapa Council knows that proving they can cooperate effectively with Starfleet and maintain stability will encourage the Federation to reopen trade or even restore its aid agreement.
+
* Ambassador-class ships are capable heavy cruisers built in smaller numbers than the older Excelsior, but still relatively common. Functionally, they have a lot in common with the Galaxy-class, but the newer ship eclipses it in every measure. Because of this, the Ambassador is a solid, relatively-generic heavy cruiser that can go on nearly any mission and expect to perform adequately. They wouldn't often be sent on long-range missions alone anymore.
 +
* Like the Excelsior, captains of Ambassador-class ships would either be very junior and assigned to milk runs, or be very senior and have decades of experience on their ships.
  
This has left the military Central Command in a difficult position. It is in their best interests if cooperation with the Federation fails, but empowering the True Way risks undermining their agenda. Their officers are set for the moment to judge each situation as it transpires, with the ideal goal of stopping the True Way and cooperation with the Federation alike.
+
[[Category:Federation starship classes]]
 
+
[[Category:Heavy Cruisers]]
=In Play=
 
* The former Demilitarized Zone is Federation territory largely left alone for over ten years. It is a disparate region of people who feel they owe the Federation little and would prefer to go their own way.
 
* Cardassians who live in the DMZ are an unknown factor for any Starfleet captain. They might prefer life under the Federation or want protection from the True Way and cooperate. Or they might resent living under Federation rule and sympathise or actively support the True Way. Proceed with caution.
 
* Federation citizens in the region remember they or their families were betrayed by Starfleet before. They refuse to let it happen again, and so are often unwilling to accept or give help. Starfleet wants to restore their confidence in the Federation so the return of the True Way doesn’t trigger a return of the Maquis.
 
* The True Way sees anyone that does not support returning these worlds to Cardassian control as the enemy. They will steal resources from civilians, attack Starfleet and the Union alike, and try to recruit from Cardassian residents.
 
* The rich, historically untapped resources of the former DMZ make it highly appealing to Federation industrial interests who wish to operate freely in the zone and without Starfleet oversight - despite the threat of the True Way.
 
* The Cardassian Union sends many missions of diplomacy and cooperation into the DMZ to help Starfleet hunt down the True Way or support and develop Cardassian settlements.
 
 
 
[[Category:Alpha Quadrant]]
 

Revision as of 19:32, 30 January 2021

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Ambassadorclass.png
''Ambassador''
Information
Affiliation

Starfleet Reserve

Role

Heavy Cruiser

Date Entered Service

2330

Expected Refit Cycle

8 Years

Time Between Resupply

4 Years

Crew Capacity
Standard Complement

750

Emergency Capacity

3200

Dimensions
Length

526 meters

Width

320 meters

Height

125 meters

Decks

31

Propulsion
Propulsion System

Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive

Cruising Speed

Warp 6.2

Maximum Speed

Warp 8.9

Emergency Speed

Warp 9.4 (12 hours)

Armaments
Energy Weapons
  • 10x Type-X Phaser Arrays
Torpedo Launchers
  • 1 forward
  • 1 aft
Torpedo Payload
  • 200 Photon Torpedoes
Shields

Multi-Layered Shielding System

Auxiliary Craft
Shuttle Bays

2

Shuttles

15

Runabouts

2

Ambassador-class heavy cruisers are venerable workhorses for Starfleet. Originally designated as explorers, they have since been pulled back from most frontline operations and serve capably as diplomatic, scientific, and tactical platforms for duties within Federation space. For their time, they were revolutionary, and they still remain quite powerful for their size.

Science and Exploration

The Ambassador-class starship was intended to be as revolutionary to the exploration of space as the Constitution was in her time; an order of magnitude more capable than the Excelsior-class ships serving as Starfleet’s premiere exploratory vessels in the 2330s. Indeed, this class was the first to be designated as an explorer rather than as a cruiser, given that she was designed to undertake true five-year unsupported missions outside of Federation space.

By the early 2370s, she had been reclassified as a heavy cruiser but retained impressive scientific and exploratory capabilities that have continued to make her a desirable command. The class contained the most powerful spaceborne sensor arrays of their time, and her eighteen modular sensor pallets continue to be able to use the latest scientific scanner equipment. Twenty-eight large dedicated laboratory facilities are included in the ship, along with facilities to convert three of the cargo bays to hold extra scientific equipment if necessary. This gave the Ambassador an estimated 325% increase in research capabilities over an Excelsior, and she remains significantly more capable than light cruisers and smaller, more modern-exploratory vessels.

With more and more of these vessels having been pulled off of front-line duties in the 2380s and later, some of them have been retrofitted with even more impressive scientific suites in place of crew quarters or engineering support areas, to allow them to perform in-depth surveys of planetary systems with much greater speed than purpose-built surveyors, which tend to be a fraction of the size of an Ambassador.

Diplomacy

As her name would suggest, an Ambassador-class starship has long been one of the most capable diplomatic platforms in Starfleet and she is still the ship of choice for most diplomatic missions in and near Federation space when a Galaxy or Odyssey-class ship is not available. She was one of the first classes to include extensive support for variable atmosphere and gravity accommodations to assist in diplomatic dealings with lifeforms who are not from M-class environments. A full 50% of her high-quality guest quarters and all of her elaborate conference facilities were originally able of being quickly configured for K, L, O, or P-class environments, and this capability was extended in the 2370s to include high-temperature environments. Most vessels of this type have also been retrofitted with holographic projectors either in the whole ship or in diplomatic areas to allow for quick reconfiguration of facilities for different negotiations.

An Ambassador-class ship is capable of hosting multi-party talks in great comfort, while also being a suitably-powerful ship to not need an escort when going into hostile areas.

Engineering

Ambassador-class ships were among the fastest vessels of their time, retaining speed records that weren’t broken until the Galaxy-class was launched in the late 2350s. These vessels were the first to use the second generation of the semi-toroid warp coils that became standard after the launch of the Excelsior-class three decades earlier. Their large warp cores provided ample power for her scientific and tactical systems as well, and they boast large engineering crews to keep everything operating effectively.

An Ambassador-class ship also maintains relatively large cargo bays and auxiliary craft facilities, alongside industrial replicators and other systems that make her a very effective vessel for humanitarian missions or construction projects. Given her comfortable accommodations and facilities, she is also effective as a tender for frigates and escorts.

Tactical

The Type-IX phaser array was developed for use aboard the Ambassador-class. This measure greatly increased the ability of the Ambassador Class to fire sustained bursts, and greatly reduced the recharge and cool down times. The use of an independent power system for every group of ten emitter segments in the array triples the survivability of the array compared to a ball turret, while there are also benefits to the reaction time, greater control of thermal effects, field halos and target impact. Overall the phaser arrays of the Ambassador are over 50% more effective than the Type-VIII ball turrets found aboard -class ships. Torpedo coverage is fired by a single burst-fire torpedo tube forward and another aft. These ships generally do not carry quantum torpedoes, but they are able to use them. Ambassador-class ships were updated with Type-X phaser arrays in the 2370s for the Dominion War.

An Ambassador-class ship is still a force to be reckoned with, even seventy years after their initial launch. They had a much higher survivability rate during the Dominion War than the Excelsior-class did, and continue to be used for routine patrols of the core sector. They do lag behind newer ships in maneuverability and overall power, but most pirates and raiders would think twice about engaging one without support.

Shipboard Life

As with many designs that were once launched as flagships, the Ambassador-class is now a reliable workhorse for the Federation. Crews aboard these ships tend to enjoy their assignment, as the class has been retrofitted with most of the amenities you would find aboard newer explorers, such as holodecks, arboretums, and lounges, as well as comfortable crew quarters. Captains assigned to these vessels tend to be relatively junior, as more experienced captains are generally given assignments further away from Federation space, but a number of them are commanded by diplomatic or scientific veterans.

More and more of these vessels are being retired, but they are very popular with their crews, who often consider it an honor to keep these venerable ships going, which leads to a mix of officers and crew who have refused transfers to newer ships and very junior staff who were posted to them as a first assignment. Like the Galaxy-class, they can accommodate civilian scientists.

Class History

Initially envisioned as early as 2300, the Ambassador-class was designed as not only the next greatest exploratory ship for Starfleet but also as the first of an entirely new classification of starship: explorer, as opposed to a mere heavy cruiser. Development was done at a relatively slow pace, given that the Federation was in a sustained period of peace and the Excelsior-class was performing above expectations. Starfleet wanted a design that would introduce as many revolutionary systems as her predecessor had, which led to a long prototyping period with other less-capable ships, such as the Renaissance-class light cruiser and the Freedom-class frigate. These technologies included the next generation in warp coils, phasers, shields, and scientific systems, as well as diplomatic facilities that would make the Ambassador a powerful symbol of the Federation’s values.

Construction on Ambassador, Surak (renamed Enterprise before launch, while the name Surak was transferred to a second-run vessel of the same class), and Zheng He began in 2323 at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards. Ambassador was launched in 2329, followed by her sister ships in 2332 and 2333, respectively. Despite retaining a crew size of 750, they required nearly twice the time and twice the resources of an Excelsior-class starship, while only giving approximately a 50% improvement in overall capabilities. Though they were markedly better at scientific and diplomatic missions, they were too expensive to replace the Excelsior in her role as a capable multi-mission platform, and both classes continued to be produced alongside one another until Excelsior and Ambassador were replaced by the Nebula-class in 2355 and the Galaxy-class in 2358, respectively.

During her production run, the Ambassador-class was generally built at a rate of two units per year, with 75 of the class built in total. This made them rare compared to the Excelsior-class which was built in the hundreds and they were generally reserved for high-status assignments. They proved popular in service to both their crews and to the admiralty, though they were eclipsed by the Galaxy-class which was substantially more powerful and useful in every respect.

They were generally a rare sight within the Federation for the first thirty years of their lifespans, as they were sent on long-range missions or reserved to put out diplomatic brushfires, but they gradually became more and more common within the core as they were supplanted. One was lost at the Battle of Wolf 359, and a handful were destroyed during the Dominion War, but they proved to be substantially tougher than the Excelsior-class thanks to their more powerful shields, something that was simply less important to the Federation during their initial production run.

Currently, Ambassador-class ships have been reclassified as heavy cruisers and see service in most areas of the Federation, remaining a rare but welcome sight. They have received regular refits to keep them up to modern standards. A few of them have received more specialized refits either for scientific, engineering, or diplomatic duties, though most of them remain capable multi-mission vessels. Starfleet expects them to be in service until at least 2425.

In Play

  • Ambassador-class ships are capable heavy cruisers built in smaller numbers than the older Excelsior, but still relatively common. Functionally, they have a lot in common with the Galaxy-class, but the newer ship eclipses it in every measure. Because of this, the Ambassador is a solid, relatively-generic heavy cruiser that can go on nearly any mission and expect to perform adequately. They wouldn't often be sent on long-range missions alone anymore.
  • Like the Excelsior, captains of Ambassador-class ships would either be very junior and assigned to milk runs, or be very senior and have decades of experience on their ships.